Overhead trolley wire mounting



June 3, 19 L. L. BABCOCK ET AL 2,599,150

OVERHEAD TROLLEY WIRE MOUNTING Filed A ril 10, 1950 44 01 7211. [mm 1. 54.5w,

Patented June 3, B52

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,599,150 OVERHEAD TROLLEY WlRE MOUNTING Lloyd L. Babcock, Torrance, and Millard L. Thorpe, Lomita, Calif.

ing wires so that the trolley wheels will eiiectively engage these wires to provide a good electrical contact.

A feature of our invention is to provide a novel sheath construction, partially enclosing the conductor wires, which can be assembled in sections and which will efiectively hold the wires in their proper position.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a novel arrangement of the Wire conductors in that they are arranged in juxtapositioned pairs throughout their entire length, forming a groove in which the trolley wheel moves, or the conductors may be shaped with a longitudinal groove.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of our overhead trolley wire mounting.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one pair of conducting wires.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, our trolley wire mounting and construction 'can be applied to either a single phased or multiple phased Wiring system, and may include one set of wires or more, as may be necessary.

In the drawing we have shown a single phased 2 stead of two juxtapositioned circular wires, they may be integral and substantially shaped like the figure 8.

The wires l-Z are mounted within strips 4--5, which are long wooden slats, if desired, or may be any type of insulating material. The wires are recessed within the strips 45, that is, they are mounted in lengthwise grooves in the strips, and an opening 6 extends to the bottom of the strip to expose the grooved portion 3 of the conductors l-2. The strips 4--5, which form a sheath to substantially enclose the conductors I2, are held in proper position, that is, bolted together by spaced saddle clamps l and by means of bolts 8 which extend through these clamps. The clamp '1 consists of a T-shaped member 1' which supports the two angles 99 and which rests on the top of the strips 4-5, substantilally as shown. The bolt 8 extends through the angles 9-9 and draws these angles tightly against the T memher 1" and thus presses the strips 45 tightly together to hold the Wires l2 in position. The

bolt 8 extends above the strips 45 and thus these I strips do not have to be drilled.

Electrical current is conducted to the wires [-2 in the following manner:

A bolt I0 extends horizontally into the strips 4-5 and is formed with a head II on the inner end, which engages the side of one of the wires l or 2. The other Wire is then pressed against the collar I2, formed of a suitable material, thus pressing the two wire conductors together and also forming an efiective electrical connection. A terminal 13 is attached to the bolt [0 in the usual and Well known manner. Current is conducted to the other pair of wires in the same manner.

The hoist, crane or locomotive is provided with a spring loaded arm 14, all of which'is usual and well known in the art. This spring loaded arm is pivotally secured to a header [5, which includes laterally spaced blocks 16 and. H. The header 15 also has a limited lateral movement on the arm l4 so as to follow any irregularities in alignment of the wires l or 2. These blocks are both formed of a suitable insulating material (wood or other suitable material). A pair of trolley wheels l8--|9 are rotatably mounted between the blocks 16 and I7. The edges of the wheels are tapered or relatively sharp, as shown at 20, so as to fit into the groove 3, as shown in Figure 2. Each trolley wheel is mounted on a shaft 2|, secured in the blocks I6--ll. The wheels are permitted a limited amount of lateral movement on the shaft 2! since a space 22 is provided on each side of the hub of the wheel. This enables the wheels to move laterally to take care of misalignment in the wires I--2. Electrical current is taken off from the trolley wheels 20 through the shaft 2| by means of a terminal 23 secured to the outer end of the shaft.

In operation, the trolley wheels lB-I9 are both pressed against the respective wires I-2 and are pressed into the groove 3, thus forming an effective electrical contact with these wires. The trolley wheels extend upwardly through the slot 6 to engage the wires l--2, substantially as shown. Any lateral mis-alignment in the wires l--2 will be followed by the trolley wheels [8-49, since these wheels can move lengthwise of their respective shafts 21.

Having described our invention,.we claim:

1. An overhead trolley wire mounting comprising a pair of conductor wires, said wires being positioned side by side, a sheath partially enclosing the wires and pressing said wires together, clamp means securing said sheath around said wires, electrical conducting means extending through the sheath to said wires, said two wires forming a groove therebetween, and a trolley wheel engaging said groove formed by said electrical wires.

2. An overhead trolley wire mounting comprising a pair of conductor wires, said wires being positioned side by side, a sheath partially enclosing the wires and pressing said Wires together, clamp'means securing said sheath around said wires, electrical conducting means extending through the sheath to said wires, said two wires forming a groove therebetween, and a trolley wheel engaging said groove formed by said ,electrical wires, the periphery of said trolley wheel being tapered to fit in said groove between said wires.

3. An overhead trolley Wire mounting comprising a pair of conductor wires, said wires being positioned side by side, a sheath partially enclosing the wires and pressing said wires together, clamp means securing said sheath around said wires, electrical conducting means extending through the sheath to said wires, said two wires forming a groove therebetween, and a trolley wheel engaging said groove formed by said electrical wires, the periphery of said trolley wheel being tapered to fit in said groove between said wires, said trolley wheel being mounted for lateral movement relative to said wires.

4. An overhead trolley wire mounting com- .prising a pair of juxtapositioned electrical wires,

a sheath partially enclosing said wires and pressing the wires together, said wires forming an elongated groove therebetween, said sheath having a slot in the bottom thereof extending to said electrical wires, a header, a trolley wheel rotatably mounted in said header, a shaft in the header on which said trolley wheel is mounted, the periphery of said trolley wheel being tapered to fit said groove formed by said wires.

5. An overhead trolley wire mounting comprising pairs of juxtapositioned wire conductors, each pair of wire conductors having a groove therebetween, a sheath partially surrounding said wire conductors of each pair, said sheath having a groove in the bottom thereof, extending upwardly to'the wire conductors, an electrical conductor extending through the sheath and engaging said wire conductor pairs, a pair of trolley wheels, a header rotatably mounting said trolley wheels, a shaft in the header on which each of said trolley wheels is journalled, a trolley arm, said header being pivotally mounted on the trolley arm, said pivotal mounting being between said pair of trolle wheels, the periphery of said wheels being tapered to fit in said groove between the corresponding wire conductor pairs.

LLOYD L. BABCOCK. MILLARD L. THORPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS Hurt June 20, 1950 

